The present invention relates to fluid control apparatus for use in semiconductor manufacturing equipment, and more particularly to integrated fluid control apparatus which are so assembled that the fluid control components thereof can be individually removed upward for maintenance or inspection.
The term xe2x80x9cfrontxe2x80x9d refers to the upper side of FIG. 1, and the term xe2x80x9crearxe2x80x9d to the lower side of the same. The terms xe2x80x9cupperxe2x80x9d and xe2x80x9clowerxe2x80x9d refer respectively to the upper and lower sides of FIG. 2, and the terms xe2x80x9cleftxe2x80x9d and xe2x80x9crightxe2x80x9d are used for the apparatus as it is seen from the rear forward. These terms are used for convenience sake; the apparatus may be used as reversed With respect to the longitudinal direction, as laid on its side.
Fluid control apparatus for use in semiconductor manufacturing equipment comprise a plurality of rows of various fluid control devices, and the fluid control devices of adjacent rows have their fluid channels interconnected by device connecting means at specified locations. With such fluid control apparatus, massflow controllers, on-off valves and other components are connected together for integration without using tubes in recent years (see, for example, JP-A No. 10-227368 (1998), which corresponds to U.S. application Ser. No. 09/023,416). The integrated fluid control apparatus is assembled by mounting block couplings and like lower members on a panel with screws first, then mounting each of upper members on two of the lower members, and interconnecting channels of the members of adjacent rows by channel connecting means at specified locations.
In the case of the conventional fluid control apparatus described, the individual upper members can be removed upward for inspection, repair or replacement, whereas no consideration is given to modifications such as installation of two additional rows to four existing lines.
In adding components to the conventional integrated fluid control apparatus or in modifying the construction of the apparatus, there arises a need to make additional screw holes in the panel for fixing base blocks, while specified accuracy is required of the screw holes to be thus formed in order to mount upper members, so that the conventional apparatus has the problem that difficulty is encountered in manually making the additional screw holes after the completion of the panel. Further since the upper members are connected to one another all by the lower members, branching off the existing lines or joining additional lines to the existing lines requires removal of upper members, replacement of lower members by different components and reinstallation of the upper members, hence the problem of necessitating an increased number of work steps.
Because of the above problems, it is practice to mount required devices anew on a panel and to install the assembly for replacement when there arises a need for an alteration or modification of the system, whereas this entails the cessation of operation of the apparatus for a long period of time and increased number of work steps to be performed at the site of installation.
In view of the situation, it has become important that the fluid control apparatus of the type described be adapted to readily fulfill the need to install additional lines or modify the existing lines.
An object of the present invention is to provide an integrated fluid control apparatus which is readily adapted for the installation of additional lines or modification of existing lines.
The present invention provides a fluid control apparatus comprising lines arranged in parallel and each comprising a plurality of lower members arranged in series and a plurality of upper members arranged in series, channels of members of the adjacent lines being interconnected by channel connecting means at specified locations, the fluid control apparatus being characterized in that the lower members of each of the lines are mounted on a subbase panel with screws, the upper members of each line being mounted on the lower members with screws, the subbase panels being mounted on a single main base panel, the channel connecting means being removable upward.
A line can be additionally installed in the fluid control apparatus of the invention merely by mounting the line to be added on a subbase panel, and mounting the subbase panel on the main base panel. Further one of the existing line can be altered merely by removing the oil line to be altered along with the subbase panel, mounting a new line on a subbase panel, and mounting the subbase panel on the main base panel. Thus, additional lines can be installed or the existing lines can be modified with ease. The channel connecting means are removed temporarily, followed by the installation of additional lines or alteration of the existing lines, and the channels are then connected to one another as required by the channel connecting means. In this way, additional lines can be installed or the existing lines can be modified merely by removing a minimum number of members required.
One of the upper members can be a shutoff-opening device comprising a two-port valve and a three-port valve which are arranged adjacent to each other. In this case, these two valves preferably have the following constructions. The two-port valve comprises a valve body having a first fluid inflow channel and a first fluid outflow channel, and an actuator for bringing the two channels into or out of communication with each other, and the three-port valve comprises a valve body having a first fluid inflow channel, a second fluid inflow channel and an outflow channel for use with a first fluid and a second fluid in common, and an actuator for bringing the second fluid inflow channel into or out of communication with the outflow channel, the first fluid inflow channel of the three-port valve always communicating with the outflow channel thereof via a valve chamber, the first and second fluid inflow channels of the three-port valve being opened in an abutting surface, the outflow channel of the three-port valve being opened in a lower surface, the first fluid outflow channel of the two-port valve being in communication with the first fluid inflow channel of the three-port valve, the valve body of the two-port valve being further provided with a second fluid inflow channel opened in a lower surface thereof and communicating with the second fluid inflow channel of the three-port valve.
When a second fluid (e.g., process gas) is to be passed through the fluid control apparatus having the shutoff-opening device described above, the actuator of the two-port valve is closed, while the actuator of the three-port valve is opened to hold the second fluid inflow channel in communication with the outflow channel. The second fluid is introduced into the apparatus through the second fluid inflow channel of the two-port valve. The second fluid flows through the second fluid inflow channel of the two-port valve, and the second fluid inflow channel and the outflow channel of the three-port valve to the massflow controller, etc. The actuator of the two-port valve is thereafter opened, the actuator of the three-port valve is closed to shut off the second fluid inflow channel, and a first fluid (e.g., purge gas) is introduced into the apparatus through the first fluid inflow channel of the two-port valve. The first fluid is sent to the massflow controller, etc. by way of the first fluid inflow channel and outflow channel of the two-way valve and the first fluid inflow channel and the outflow channel of the three-port valve. The first fluid drives away the second fluid remaining in the outflow channel of the three-port valve with the pressure of its own and flows toward the massflow controller to rapidly remove the mixture of the first and second fluids. The first fluid only flows through the massflow controller, etc. within a short period of time.
With the shutoff-opening device described, a blocklike coupling having a channel communicating with the second fluid inflow channel of the two-port valve is disposed under this valve, while a blocklike coupling having a channel communicating with the outflow channel of the three-port valve is disposed under this valve. The shutoff-opening device can be mounted on both these blocklike couplings to interconnect the couplings, whereby the fluid control apparatus can be integrated easily. This also renders the shutoff-opening device easy to maintain and inspect.
Preferably, the first fluid inflow channel of the two-port valve comprises an upstream portion opened in an upper surface of the valve body and extending obliquely downward from the upper surface of the valve body, and a downstream portion communicating with the upstream portion and extending upward to a valve chamber of the two-port valve, the first fluid inflow channels of the adjacent lines being connected to one another by the channel connecting means. The lines, as well as the subbase panels, can then be made to have the same width. The required line can then be positioned at a desired position or replaced by an optional line with ease.
Preferably, the main base panel has a space for installing additional lines. When desired, additional lines can then be installed in the system with extreme ease.
The channel connecting means may comprise a block coupling mounted in place with screws from above and having an I-shaped channel. The channel connecting means may comprise a manifold block coupling mounted in place with screws from above and having a lateral opening. This facilitates the work of removing the channel connecting means temporarily, then installing additional lines or modifying the existing lines, and thereafter connecting the channels to one another again by the channel connecting means as required.